Sandblasting



J. N. VOERGE May 9,1944.

SAND BLASTING Filed pct 5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l /N vz/v TOR Ja/m/ Ma/loms Var/w: @a/ J 19 '7- TORNE Y May 9, 1944. J. N. voERqE SAND BLASTING Filed Oct. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet lzv YEN TOR Jomv /V/c//oms l ERGE mounted therein.

Patented May 9, 1944 UNITED" 'STA.TESI PATENT. OFFICE a John Nicholas :Voerge, Westmount, Quebec,

. Canada Application was 5, 1943, Serial No. 505,045 n Canada September 24, 1943 Introduction 'This invention relates to sand blasting.

More particularly, it relates to the sand blasting of the interior walls of vessels of restricted volume such as tanks and boilers. It is preferably employed in conjunction with the invention disclosed in my U. S. Patent. No. 2,324,250, July 13', 1943, of a sand blasting operation wherein a substantially dry blast of abrasive is surrounded by a protective transparent shield of water.

:It is a principal object of the present invention to :provide a method of sand blasting the interior walls of hollow vessels such as for instance cylindrical tanks or boilers. .It is a further object of the invention to provide such a r 3 Claims. (01.

ethod wherein the operator .is protected from r the blast. It is a further object of :the invention to provide means whereby the operator may control the blast at a distance remote from the blast. It is a further object of the invention to provide a convenient apparatus to carry out the method.

These and other objects are accomplished according to the invention by providing a support running lengthwise of the vessel of which the walls are being blasted and centrally located therein, mounting sand blasting instrumentalities for axial movement along and for radial movement about said support, and carrying out the blasting operation while moving the instrumentalities by remote control progressively to blast the various portions of the vessel.

A convenient apparatus for carrying out this method includes an elongated shaft, either including on its ends means for engaging a portion of the ends of the vessel to which it is applied, or else including supports mountable adjacent the ends of the vessel. 0n the shaft is mounted for axial movement therealong and for radial movement thereabout an elongated carriage. At one end of this carriage is a control member, as for instance a hand wheel. At the other end of this carriage are mounted the sand blasting instrumentalities, to which are connected the necessary supply lines for the blasting abrasive and source of pressure and, in the case of the preferred blasting method described in my patent, a water line for the protective screen.

The invention will be explained in further detail by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of apparatus adapted to carry out the present invention mounted in a tank car, and in which:

Figure l is an end elevation of the tank car with the end removed, showing the apparatus Figure 2 is aside elevation partly in section of the tank car and apparatus shown in Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A represents the frame of'a tank car and B the tank mounted thereon. Within the tank 13 are mounted, one adjacent each end thereof; supports, for instance, tripods C and D respectively. Each of these tripods is provided with a hub H, outwardly extended tubular legs I2 and extensions l5 slideable within the tubular legs. Set screws I! are adapted to hold the extensions id in desired fixed relation to the legs 12. The extensions I5 are provided with feet l8 adapted to engage the tank wall. Extending between the tripods C and D and journalled in the hubs H and I2 is an elongated shaft 20. On this shaft is an elongated carriage 36. ,Ball bearings 3| are provided on the carriage to render it freely rotatable and movable lengthwise on the shaft 20. "To the under-side of the carriage 3B is connected a bracket 32. Extending transversely to one side of the carriage and held to the underside thereof by the bracket 32 is a metal pipe 33. Connected to one end of the pipe 33 is a sand blast projector E, preferably of the type described in my prior patent. Connected to the other end of the pipe 33 is a flexible water line 33a. Leading to the sand tube of the projector is a flexible line 34 of suitable material, adapted to carry sand, and air as a propellant. The water line 33 extends along the carriage 30 to adjacent the other end thereof where it is controlled by a Valve 36 so that the supply of water can be regulated by the operator remotely from the blast. Held by the bracket 32 to the body and extending in the opposite direction to the pipe 33 is a bar 35 on the end of which is mounted a balance weight 36a held in position by a set screw 31. The balance weight is adapted to balance the sand blast projector E. On the end of the body remote from the projector is mounted a hand wheel 40 to permit the operator to ro- V tate the carriage 30 or move it axially of the vessel. The unit E is preferably provided with a watertight electric-lighting fixture 45 adapted to shine on the work to assist the operator in following the blasting operation visually. Suitable electrical connections controlled from adjacent the operator are also provided.

Operation As described in my prior patent, a jet of sand or other abrasive is projected from an internal nozzle as indicated at and. water or other liquid is projected as a surrounding protective According to the present invention, the pro-' jector is manipulated by remote control through the hand wheel 40 in an axial and in a radial direction so as to reach any portion of the'tank surface. If the walls adjacent one end of the tank have been blasted and it is desirable to reach the walls adjacent the other end thereof it is merely necessary to turn the carriage about on the shaft and to work from the opposite end. Surfaces may thus be blasted at points remote from the operator, who is not only protected from flying abrasive by the water screen, but is also able to perform the operations out of reach of the water. useful in vessels such as tanks, boilers etc. which are not sufliciently large to permit the entry therein of an operator. In such cases, the blasting instrumentalities can be operated from a position outside the end of the vessel.

Any suitable materials can be chosen for the manufacture of the parts of the blasting apparatus.

While no pressure equipment or controls are shown in the drawings, it is understood that the method presumes the useof suitable plant together with controls for regulating the flow of sand, air and water.

The method is also particularly It will be understood that, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims, various modifications may be made in the specific expedients described. The latter are illustrative only and not offered in a restricting sense, it being desired that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as may be required by the state of the prior art.

I claim:

1. An abrasive blasting apparatus, comprising, an elongated support adapted to extend lengthwise of a vessel at a central location, means for supporting the shaft at a plurality of points within the vessel, a carriage mounted on said support for axial and radial movement in relation thereto, abrasive blasting instrumentalities mounted-on said carriage, and control means connected to said carriage remotely from said instrumentalities.

2. An abrasive blasting apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blasting instrumentalities include a centrally arranged blasting nozzle for projecting abrasive particles, and a liquid nozzle annularly arranged with respect to the blasting nozzle for projecting a stream of liquid in annularly spaced relationship to the blast of particles, thereby to entrap flying particles, a line for air and abrasive leading to said blasting nozzle, a line for liquid leading to said liquid nozzle.

3. An abrasive blasting apparatus, comprising, an elongated shaft adapted to extend lengthwise of the vessel at a central location, spaced apart supports for said shaft, an elongated carriage having spaced apart bearings journalled on said shaft whereby said carriage may be moved in axial and radial direction in relation to said shaft, abrasive blasting instrumentalities mounted on one end of said carriage, control means connected to the other end of said carriage whereby the blasting instrumentalities may be controlled remotely from the blast.

JOHN NICHOLAS VOERGE. 

